We Run
by N.J.Al
Summary: Hollow Bastion, city of wonder and dreams. And like every big city, it has it's fair share of shady business... The Destiny family finally comes back, after years away.What happens when more than just memories decide to come back to haunt you? Yaoi Alert
1. Prologue 1 Sora

**Kingdom Hearts – We Run**

**A/N #1 – I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts series, including characters, locations and all that jazz. Yet, I do own the plot and story.**

**A/N#2 – This story will be written in short, but frequent, chapters and NO, I will NOT discontinue "Meet me...",this on it's just a stress relief and self accomplishment device. Hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**BTW: LOOKING FOR A BETA. All my previous ones tend to disappear. Someone with free time for quick feedback. Also,I think my DocX Add box is some kind of Death Note. So if I can rely on you and you are not afraid to die...**

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**Prologue**

**We walk**

**-Part 1-**

**Everything is changing...**

"We are moving."

_I still remember the day I received the news... _

Cloud seemed extra stressed that day, for he was moving from one room of the house to the other in a frenzy. His footsteps echoed loudly through our small house as he cursed ,not that much, under his breath. The noise had woken me up and since I couldn't fall asleep again due the noise, I decided to start the my day already...

After doing the usual morning activities( bed, teeth, bath...) I went down for breakfast As I climbed down the stairs, I noticed the piles still-folded cardboard boxes and tape rolls thrown haphazardly across the floor and most of the furniture was either absent or in disassembled. Among the mess was my little brother focused on the small television before him,completely ignorant to my presence .

"What the hell is happening here?" I jumped the last 3 steps and looked around. Ventus was on his stomach in the middle of the room, staring at the kitchen's TV. For some reason it had been moved from it's original place, which preoccupied me even more...

"Good morning to you too Sora." my brother said not turning away to face me. "If you don't know what's happening it's your own fault. No one made you sleep past noon." He was in a bad mood, probably from the news again...I threw a glance at the still in the wall watch and noticed it was 13:08 already.

"Pfth, whatever." I yawned. "Where's Cloud?" Ventus pointed to the general direction of the kitchen."Thanks. Good morning by the way." The response he gave me was a low '_Uhum...'_ from his closed lips. I chose to ignore him as much as he was ignoring me and went to fix myself some breakfast. Or lunch, it works both ways.

I entered the kitchen to find it empty, devoid of both Cloud AND furniture. _Again_.

The counter where the cereal bows usually were was gone, altogether with the table, the microwave, the fridge and our sad excuse for a stove. The sudden emptiness of our house had grown from a small itch in the back of my hair to a big, red harsh demanding answers. You can take away my Tv, you can take away my sofa, but no on takes away my fridge!

"CLOUD!" I shouted. The emptiness of the building contributed to the echo-effect and desired volume. I was sure Cloud had listened.

"WHAT!" His voice came just as loud, if not louder, from the upper floor.

"Why does our house looks like our bank account?"

"I'm busy!Look around! Use that little brain of yours a bit and than tell me what do you can come up with!"

I looked around once more and gave it some tough. Missing furniture, stressed Cloud, grumpy Ventus..."Are we low on cash again?"

These days, lack of money wasn't such a surprise. One moment we had enough to keep the next 3 months on check, the other an apple would cost 5 bucks... With the new government reform, stores were getting closed one after the other, giving place to a new chain of supermarkets approved by said government. Now certain items were getting nearly impossible to find and others were completely banned.

Everything was changing, but people didn't care...

At first, the changes were small. A sudden ID update, everyone had to fill a handful of papers and so on. But now you were required to have a citizen membership code to order a pizza! The law and censorship were getting insane and there was nothing people cloud do about it. Of course there were protests, strikes, petitions but it was useless. The years passed and now all the hope had gone, giving place to a bitter sense of conformation. It all begun a few years ago, soon after mother died.

After mother passed away, we had to make on our own. Work was something rare these says, almost all of the establishments were owned by the government and working for than wasn't that appealing since you had to sell you soul and all...

Cloud and I had in a '_special_' delivery service here in Transverse Town. _Special_ as in stuff you don't really want to send through the now highly monitored mail. Like when you just can't wait for normal delivery to pass though their meticulous process or it just wouldn't pass at all.

This kind of service was growing surprisingly fast lately. The new government also had fallen head on the civil rights, usurping people of privacy and freedom and a few more. It was like totalitarianism all over again...Funny how I still know what that means, since I'm a college dropout. Good thing that now everyone was looking for our help in hope for a little..._subtlety_, if you know what I mean.

Cloud does all the 'by land' delivery on his motorcycle, taking large packages and wider distances. I, in other hand, take the light ones,going through a bit _higher _pathways...I do the local delivery but I don't really get the bus, if you know what I mean. Knowing the city as much as I do, you find out much shorter ways to move. Eve if that requires jumping some roofs. People say it's stupid or suicide but I don't care much. Jumping from building to building, rolling, climbing walls and all that stuff, It makes me feel alive_, free_. Something rare in these days. It's not ilegal, at least not here in Transverse Town and hey ,like what I do and I do what I like. It doesn't pay much but I'm happy. _That's_ what really matters, right?

Ventus sometimes helps us after school. He rides a Glider he brought with five months of allowance, paying and some odd jobs. I hope he enjoys that thing as much as he can because, the way the chariot runs, it just might gat banned too...

"No, you moron. In fact it's quite the opposite." Cloud was moving what seemed to be the pieces of his bed downstairs. His face was completely covered by wood parts but something told me he was frowning. What a shoker.

"So we are loaded?"

"Almost, but not quite. I finally raised enough money so we can go to a better place."

"As if in heaven?Are we dying?"

"_God, _Sora!.No we are not dying! We are moving."

_Little did I know what was to come. I bet if I did, I would have preferred to stay at good ol' TT and live in blissful ignorance. But it's kinda late for that now. I'm buried to the neck in this thing and my chances of getting out are smaller than Cloud's patience... _

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**So what do you guys think?I was needing a little venting from all that futuristic AU from "Meet me..." and this did the trick just right. This AU is only a few years from today. Technology isn't that advanced but still beats the crap of anything we have today. **

**A/N#3 – a cookie for those who guess witch song I used to write this chapter. C'mon people it isn't that hard. Tell me through Reviews. Please?**


	2. Prologue 2 Cloud

**Prologue **

**We walk**

**-Part 2-**

**It's how you deal with it...**

_I love my brother. Really, I do. But it's hard to love him sometimes...Mostly when his stupidity get us in a life-or-death situation. Like the one we are now. I'm starting to regret dragging him and Ventus back here. Well, no crying over spilled milk...or blood._

"Yes, brainless." I dumped my former bed onto the floor and climbed the stairs once more to get the rest. "Now go pack, we leave today."

"What?Just like that?Don't I get a memo or something?" he followed me all the way up and did not stop on his bedroom as I foolish expected. He got into my room with me and watched me collecting some boxes.

" I told you last Friday as soon as I got back from delivering Mr. Bacchus package."

"Well, I wasn't paying attention!"

"Do you ever?And how exactly that is my fault again?" I seriously wasn't in the mood for Sora's whining, and the aching pain on my back wasn't helping either...

"But why?And where to?" God, I knew that pout. This would Not end well...

"Fuck Sora, I left a note on the fridge with the details about it!How come you didn't see it?" I didn't spend much time at home due é delivery service and neither had the opportunity to sit with Sora about it, but for Christ's sake! The kid paid visits to that damn machine more times than the whole block put together and still didn't see the not written in RED over the door of a WHITE refrigerator?

"Hey, I look to what's inside of it, not out!"

"Well, now you know. We are moving to Hollow Bastion."

"Hollow Bast...You crazy?How about...you know..." He gave a quick look to the living room before looking aback at me "Won't he recognize him?"

"Don't worry, he was to young to remember him. Besides we are moving the...economic part of town. I doubt _he _would set foot anywhere near there."

"Agreed. But _why_ Cloud?"

"I got a call from an old friend of mine. She's offering us a steady, fairly paying job and I can't let the chance pass. This are hard lately day and I have to keep at least _some_ income garanteed."

Three weeks ago I received a call from someone I hadn't see, let alone talked to, in months. Tifa Lockhart, my old childhood friend. I was 14 when we left Hollow Bastion, but we kept contact. I even attended the ceremony when she got that balk-belt...

From what she told me, now she ran a growing business of delivery and needed capable hands. In a city like Hollow Bastion competence was a prime, since you could easily be substituted by cheaper and more capable hands. The whole thing worked in her Bar/Nightclub, the _7__th__ Heaven._ She had even provided us with the home and food on the bar for a _friendly _price. Besides, Let's be honest, who doesn't want to live in Hollow Bastion? The city was Ginormous. The size of three cities and the economic potency of our country.

"Whats so bad about Transverse Town?"

"Please, Sora. Transverse Town is dying. I know you noticed too."

It was true. If business went slower, it would walk backwards...After a minute of staring, Sora threw his arms in the air in defeat. "So be it. No point in arguing now, right?" He asked, still in the door of the room.

"Nope. So could you kindly pack your stuff? The truck will be here in less than an hour to get the furniture."

"Aye aye, cap'n. It's not like I have much..." he made a small continence and began to leave.

"Look at the bright side Sora. You can see your old friends there. Maybe even go to college!"

He looked back, staring me with an undecipherable expression and left murmuring "_Joy..._". Thankfully, the hard part was over. Taking Sora out of the way only left finishing packing and sign some paperwork. Oh yeah, I still had to buy Sora's end Ventus' tickets...

I had rented a truck to take all our belongings to Hollow Bastion that day. The city wasn't that far and, if it left before 3, the truck would arrive in our new home in the evening. Sora and Ventus would be going by train, while I drove Fenrir there. Ventus particularly didn't care about the whole moving thing but I knew, deep down, Sora was hating it. He would have to deal with it I gees...

"_Cloud!The truck is here!"_ Ventus voice came booming from the lower floor.

"Fuck!" I pilled three boxes and carried all at once downstairs.

Sora was still 'folding'his clothes and punching them inside a backpack. Ventus had finished yesterday, with all already pilled his stuff near the front door.

I had been working since morning and no one had volunteered to help me. They will all pay in Christmas...

God, I wasn't even done with the packing and was already out of time...Double fuck.

The moving guys began to work as soon as I opened the door. One, probably the boss, came to me with a paper. After some taking and signing, they were moving all the objects to the truck. Sora and Ventus were waiting in the living-room with their luggage. While I entered the room Ventus unplugged the television violentely, tossing the wire on the floor.

"Hey, what gives?" Sora was startled due the sudden anger display.

"Weren't you listening? Now they want to monitor blogs? Fucking blogs! "

"Dude, calm down. It's not the Tv's fault!"

"Enough Ventus! We are leaving." I called for their attention, instantly ending the argument. Both boys stood and went getting their backpacks, Ventus murmuring profanities under his breath. I didn't like it any bather and him, but there was no use getting angry. We checked one last time if anything was left behind before going to the train station.

I made sure to put them in the train before they left. I'm not the touchy-feely kind of person, but I wouldn't see my brothers for at least 15 hours. I gave each a hug and the common 'behave' talk and watched as the train came to life. They would be fine, Ventus was responsible enough for them both.

I returned home to see it almost empty. The men where still collecting some small items and they left as soon as they were done. Now It was only me and the old building.

I took extra time pacing from room to room, reliving old memories and laughing alone. We had moved there a few weeks after mom died. I wasn't sadfor moving, but still felt bad for leaving that small crappy house. I gees it couldn't be helped. After living 7 years of one's life in a place, you can't help but to get attached. The house itself wasn't that appealing either. It was small, some places were molding and don't let me get started on the piping. Yet, it still held that sense of "_Home_" when looked upon.

I finally gathered my stuff and gave the house one final look, before hopping on Fenrir and leaving. I could only hope life would be better in Hollow Bastion. It had to be. We were betting too much to see it blowing on our faces...

_Maybe it isn't entirely Sora's fault, though. He had no idea what he was getting himself, all of us, into. I could have taken the job myself and prevented him from screwing up, but now is too late. We can either accept their terms or have our throats slit... _


	3. Prologue 3 Ventus

**Prologue**

**We walk**

**-Part 3-**

**We got the choice if it all goes wrong...**

_I always knew they were hiding something from me. The sudden change of subjects, the avoiding of anything related to dad, the flicker in their eyes whenever I asked about him...They WERE hiding something. I ignored it, though. It was easier to only think about the present. Even more after Mom's death. We were there, we were happy, and nothing else mattered._

_Now they come like a hurricane and expect me to just go with the flow?Even I can't take it... _

"Are we there yet?" Sora asked for the 58th time in the last hour.

"You know what? Yes!We are there!" Sometimes I really doubted _he_ was the older brother.

"Really?" Sora jumped from his assent and opened the window's curtain. He was faced with a pitch-black sky with a few star here and there."_Liar_."

If I didn't know better I would have though he was joking. It's heartbreaking how truth can be so cruel sometimes. I face-palmed and let out a sigh. We had been on that cursed train for mere 4 hours and I already wanted to rip Sora's intestines and hang him with it...

We would wait for Cloud in the station for almost an hour after we arrive and I was _Not _looking forward to it. Sora was already bad in confinement, but with places for him to wander off I don't know if I can take it. Sure I would love to fly around in my glider and do some recon on the area, but we had to wait. No excuses.

"When do they serve dinner in this bathtub?" Sora stretched his arms and threw himself on the assent, luckly we were alone in that cabin or else I would have already died of embarrassment. What's with Sora and food anyways? I think I read about hypermatabolism in this one magazine...

"They already did Sora."

"_That _was dinner?"

"Wanna go complain with the machinist? If we are lucky he will throw out of the train." Being in a closed room for so long with nearly nothing to do plus a whiny Sora was doing wonders to my mood. Not.

"Ha. You are killing me."

"Sadly, I'm not. Just stay quiet and behave, Ok?"

"Okay, _Mom_." moments after, he realized what he had said. Sora looked down and bit his lip as if thinking of what to say next. "I'm sorry, Ven."

"It's fine." I brushed it off. Of us three, Sora was the most attached to mother. After she passed away Sora used to climb on the roof and spend hours watching the sky. It was like meditation to him. I remember Cloud had to lure him down with food or else he would spend the whole day up there.

I reached for my backpack and pulled out bag of chips. I took advantage of Sora's distraction to throw it in his face, making him yelp and swing his arms defensively. He looked angry for a second, before looking at the projectile that laid on the floor. His frown turned upside-down in a heart-beat.

"Hey!You said you had no food in you when I asked before!"

"I lied." He stared at me with narrowed eyes, opening the bag without braking eye-contact."What? I was saving it in case Cloud got late!"

"Yeah, right..." He also didn't break eye-contact to stuff his mouth with the salty treats."Liar. Why the sudden change of heart anyways?"

"What?Can't I do something for my older brother out of good will?" He rose an eyebrow."Ok, I'm trying to buy information!"

"What..._om nom_...kind of information?" He said between chews.

"We used to live in Hollow Bastion, didn't we? You know, back when I was a baby?" He nodded "Why we left?"

Sora stopped chewing. Only a hand-full of things could make him do so. Whatever it was, it was serious. He slowly sucked on each of his fingers before putting the bag away. Now THAT was scary. He closed his hands together, before taking a deep breath.

"It's a long story Ventus..." Serious Sora? Now this is getting creepy.

"Well, we are not going anywhere are we?" I pushed my luck. The bastard had my bacon chips, that should be enough to get at least something out of him.

With a sigh, Sora adjusted his position on the seat and begun the _long _ explanation.

Sora wasn't the best with detains, but I managed to connect the dots of the messed up story. When I was born, father got a promotion that required him to move to Hollow Bastion. Mom was okay with it and the whole family moved from our former home, Transverse Town.

As soon as we settled down on Hollow Bastion, the problems begun. From what I understood, father didn't send too much time at home, changing family time for extra hours and meals for scotch . Less and less he would show up, sometimes even spending several days away and coming back only to pick up some clean clothes. Mom and father begun to fight about money. Not the lack of it, but father's restless pursuit of such. At some point mom made him chose between his family or his career.

Apparently...he chose career.

After the divorce, we moved back to our old house in Transverse Town and begun to live on our own, without father's support. Five years later mom died in a car-crash, while coming back from work. It had been a hard blow for all of us. Cloud got _even_ more antisocial, Sora fell into depression and quit school. I didn't do any bather than him, but they forced me to at least finish high-school. Soon the money mom had left us ran out and we had to get jobs. Thats when Cloud and Sora got into delivering...

"That's pretty much it." Sora begun to eat again "Don't tell Cloud I told you all that 'kay?"

"Why?"

"Because Cloud hates talking about past and , more importantly, Cloud _hates_ Dad."

That successfully shut me up. In my whole life I've never seen Cloud hating someone. Cloud could dislike, Cloud could get annoyed by, but Cloud NEVER hated someone. He was the most patient and on control of himself human I have ever seen. Of course he blew up with us from time to time, but we were family. With anyone else, he would be cold and straight to the point. Outside the house, he barely shown any emotion aside from the usual "_Meh..._" state of always. It was really hard to picture to tell the truth.

After the history we both fell silent. Not an awkward silence, but a _sink-in _kind of silence. I slowly absorbed all the data, while Sora let me be. I finally found out more stuff about father. Al I had was what mom had told me when I was a kid and what I could make Cloud spill. _God,_ I don't even know how he looks like! Sora said I couldn't remember anything because I was too young. That kind of made scene, since I was only two by the time we moved...

"Hey I can see the city!"

Sora's exclamation snapped me out of my daze. From the tiny window, the city of Hollow Bastion could be seen in the horizont. The city itself was surrounded by water, being connected to the shore by a set of bridges and train-tracks, and absurdly large , both vertically end horizontally. The beautiful panorama made me remember of old and broken Transverse Town. This was a whole new start and I couldn't help but to fell exited about it.

"Hey Sora?"

"Yes?"

"Think we will do fine here?"

"Of course we will! We are together on this Ven. Besides, we can always come back to Transverse Town if anything goes wrong right?"

That eased the tightness on my chest. I wasn't pessimist or anything, but the though of a backup plan in case of any surprise was oddly calming. I smiled and rested my head against the window's glass. The City looked majestic from the moving train, all lit up and glowing in the middle of the night.

I reached for my Ipod and turned it on. I let my eyes close and soon I was humming the lyrics to myself. Cloud always said I was a good singer and never complained when I sang along with the radio. Cloud. Funny, only a couple of hours and I already missed him.

'_Make a decision-A_'

'_A pre condition-A_'

'_We got the choice if it all goes wrong.._.'

'_we walk..._'

'_we walk..._'

_And how wrong we were. They would hunt us down and kill us before we could get to the city gates. I don't get half of it to tell you the truth... Conspiracy? Fight for Freedom? What we had to do with any of that? Well, it's no use. Now is either sink or swim, and I'm afraid where we are swimming to..._

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**A/N#1: There, I'm done with the prologues. Each main character had their minute in their minds to remember the past and flash-back all they wanted. Now it's time for the _real_ story!**

**A/N#2: For those who didn't figured out the song yet it's "We Walk" by The Ting Tings. I don't own it either.**


	4. Chapter 1  Part 1

**Chapter 1**

**It's Getting Boring...**

**-Part 1-**

**Leave your parcel at the front door...**

"I said to the left Sora!" Kairi shouted in Sora's earpiece. She typed madly on her computer, running through different maps from that side of town, looking for a scape route.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kai!The thing is, it's kinda hard to know your lefts from your rights when there's PEOPLE SHOOTING AT YOU!" Sora took a sharp turn in the narrow alley and climbed a fence that bloked his way. Thank god he knew free-running or else he would already be dead. Sadly whoever was chasing him seemed to know too...

"..._be glad it's just bullets_..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, turn right in the next alley."

"Who the fuck are these people?"

"Okay Sora, there should be emergency stairs in the next building. You climb them up, follow straight ahead and jump to the lower building in front of you, than get inside. Its a mini mall, you can lose them there."

"On it." Sora did as he was told and jumped on a trashcan to springboard his way to the stairs located uphigh. He grabbed on it's guard the hurried push himself up. That was a good idea because moments after, a bullet came cutting the wind and digging on the exact place he was moments ago.

Sora lost no time in crossing the building's roof and jumping to the other's. He could hear the steps from his pursuer not too far and sped up, opening the door that gave access to this roof. He threw the door shut without looking back and hurried downstairs, jumping two lest steps at time. Another door revealed what should be the storage-room of the mini mall. boxes and shelves held the store's goods, pilled up in a random order. Another door stood in the end of the room and Sora begun to run in it's direction, before he had an idea.

He opened it and than threw it closed with a loud bang. Quickly, he hid himself behind a particularly large box and waited, holding his breath. Soon enough, his pursuer stormed inside the storage and ran straight to the door on the opposite side of the room, cursing several profanities and completely ignorant of the fact he now was chasing nothing.

Sora gave him a good a minute before coming out of his hiding spot. Back in the roof, Sora looked at the street below him. The man was at the building's front door looking at every direction, probably looking for him.

"What was that all about?" Sora watched as the man ran into a crowd of busy people probably coming/leaving work. He would laugh if his lungs weren't burning so bad...

"Beats me...Still got the package?"

"You still expect me to deliver this thing?"

"No. Our customer does."

"But Kairi! _Shooters_! That should be enough to stay at home for a week!With pay!"

"Oh Sora, sometimes I forget you don't know how we roll here at Hollow Bastion. You know the rules, you accept the mark, you deliver. 7th Heaven's reputation is at stake. " Sora waited for what he though was she typing before hearing Kairi's voice again." From here you go west, towards the docks. Leave the parcel in the front door of a bar which ,strangely enough, it's called 'The Docks'...I gees they sold their imagination to pay the taxes... Since we ditched the shooter, the rest should be a piece of cake."

"_We_? I was the one that almost got shot!"

"You knew the risk when you got the job Sora. Now move it, time limit is until 6 pm and you d_on't _want to be out there at night!"Sora swallowed had at the thought.

"By risk I thought it meant _dogs_ or... _police,_ not a freaking _hit-man_!"

"Sora!"

"Okay, I'm going! But you guys will have some _serious_ answering to do when I get back!"

With that, Sora jumped to the nearest roof and resumed his sprint in the direction of The Docks. At the docks. _God_, even thinking it sounded lame...

A few buildings latter, Sora could already fell the salty smell of the ocean water. Not far, a crane was located. It was probably used to transport the cargo to it's respective ship but Sora had other plans. he used crane to swing his way to a nearby container and check the suroundings. The bar was supposed to be in an abandoned warehouse around there and ,since it only opened at night, the streets were empty. Sora skipped over a few containers and jumped to the ground. Quietly, he paced in the alleys between the buildings until he saw the small sigh "_The Docks" _hanging over the door of a small building. The joke was getting old and Sora wanted to get back as soon as sprinted to the door, left the parcel, knocked three times and ran the fuck away.

Sadly, three steps away from the door, his vision of the docks( A/N:the location, not the bar. Ha) was substituted for blackness. Something had been pulled above his head, probably a sack, and he felt hands restraining his movements. Sora tossed against the bindings but it was no use. Hands, probably more than just one pair, held him in place as handcuffs were put on his wrists. He though of calling someone, anyone, but remembered that the streets were completely empty and he had been alone since he had left Kairi at the...Kairi!

"Kairi!Can you hear me? Kai!"

"_What is it Sora? I heard yelping and...Hey how did you get in her...Bzzzzz_!"

"Kairi? What happened?"

"_What are you wating for?Take it from him!_" A voice came from outside the bag quickly, a hand made it's way to rip the earpiece from Sora's ear. He was suddenly thrown on whoever was kidnapping him shoulder and carried away. Moments after, he was thrown once more on what he deducted from the pain in his back, the trunk of a car.

Sora struggled against the cuffs but they were cold hard metal and designed to _keep_ him from breaking free. Genius. He soon gave up. The attempts were beginning to bruise his wrists and the cuffs weren't getting any looser. But, hey! Even if he could break the cuffs, what would he do afterwards? Dig his way out of the truck? Sora didn't like this sudden turn of events. To think he was beginning to get bored of his current job...

_So from your face I take that you are kinda lost, am I right? So, what I am doing running away from some killer, the new delivery job, the redheaded chick and stuff? Oh, and lets not forget the whole kidnapping thing... Maybe I'm just a bit ahead of myself. Lets go back a few weeks from here. The very day we arrived at Hollow Bastion and the day I first set foot on the 7th Heaven..._


	5. Chapter 1  Part 2

**Chapter 1**

**It's Getting Boring...**

**-Part 2-**

**Let's consider a change of scenery...**

_It has been 1 hour, 23 minutes and 47 seconds since we arrived on Hollow Bastion's Train Station and Cloud hasn't arrived yet. It has been 1 hour, 23 minutes and 52 seconds since we arrived on Hollow Bastion's Train Station. Cloud hasn't arrived yet and I'm tired. It has been 1 hour, 24 minutes and 3 seconds since we arrived on Hollow Bastion's Train Station. Cloud hasn't arrived yet, I'm tired and hungry. It has been 1 hour, 24 minutes and 12 seconds since we arrived on Hollow Bastion's Train Station, Cloud hasn't arrived yet, I'm tired and hungry but Ventus wont let me use the credit card to buy food. Must kill Vent..._

"He's here!"

_...Never mind._

That moment, a familiar Motorcycle turned the corner and came in their direction. Stopping before them, it's rider took off his helmet and greeted his siblings

"Sorry for the tardiness guys. It took forever to get Fenrir's papers checked."

"I still find you referring to your motorcycle in the third person creepy but I forgive you if you by us dinner..." it was still dark, but a small portion of purple was making it's way in the sky far away. Sora checked his watch "...or breakfast, I should really get my meals back to schedule."

Cloud only gave a small chuckle."Hop on, we are having brackfast at the 7th heaven."

As usual, Sora went with Cloud on Fenrir while Ventus flowed closely in his Glider. Thank God was leading he way, otherwise They would probably get lost. Hollow Bastion was a HUGE city. The buildings were enormous, both vertically and horizontally. In a single street Sora had spotted half of all stores and restaurants he had ever seen or heard off in his whole life! Even it being early morning, most of them were already open and filled with customers. Ventus almost missed the turn Cloud made, being distracted by the shining neon signs. Shops, bars, fast-food restaurants, drugstores, you name it. Less than one hour in Hollow Bastion and He already wanted to go on a consumerist rampage. His glider needed a new Anti-G disc anyway...

With so much to see, Venstus didn't even notice the time pass. The arrival to the 7th Heaven came as a surprise, once he almost bumped into Fenrir with the sudden stop. A small sign stood over the door of a 2 story building between what should be other similar facilities, a big "7" with black and withe wings and "HEAVEN" written in white letters under it. Sora wasted no time and rushed inside the bar, leaving his brothers behind. Ventus climbed down of his glider and folloed him while Cloud finished parking Fenrir. The boys were received with a tall, black haired woman behind the counter cleaning a glass. She looked up and smiled, drying her hands with a rag and crossed to the counter. She approached and put one of her hands on her hips, and the other under her chin.

"Now, now, who might you be?" She begun to pace around them, analyzing their traits." Let's see, brown spiky hair, goofy smile, look of someone who is bound to get in trouble...Hi there Sora!"

Said boy finally let go of the laugh he was holding and jumped over the woman.

"And here was I, thinking you had forgotten about me!" Sora gave a final squeeze before letting go completely and stepping aside. The woman turned her attention to the smaller sibling bringing her face dangerously close to Ventus'. The boy took a step back to prevent the iminent schock of foreheads before she claped her hands together in glee.

"Ventus!" Now it was Ventus who was pressed against the womans..._advantaged_ chest. "Lest time I saw you I could carry you in my arms!"Ventus voiced was muffled as his face was buried in fabric.

"Let go Tifa, or you will boob-kill him!" even saying that, Sora didn't move to help. That moment Cloud, barely, passed through the door carrying four bags under his arms.

"Thanks for helping me with the baggage kids, love you lots."

"Oh, let me help you with those!I will take them to the bedroom. Feel free to order anything, it's on the house." Tifa hurried and took all the luggage at once and paced towards a small set of stairs with a smile. Sora and Ventus looked from her to Cloud with loose jaws and Sora mouthed a '_WTF_' towards his older brother.

"What?She's strong." said him simply and siting on one of the stools nearby the counter. Sora and Ventus joined him and picked up the menu before them.

"So, free of charge hum?" Sora's smile opened a little more wide as his eyes scanned the plastified paper. The number of possibilities kept him from seeing Cloud's hand in it's way to shock with his head.

"Don't exploit someones good will. Besides, we are working for her. Whatever we eat will probably come of our paycheck later..."

It was now Cloud's head being hit. Looking back, Tifa stood behind him. Cloud was about to complain but the bell over the door got his attention. By the door, a young woman stood looking at them.

"Customers this early?" She let the door close behind her and sliped to the other side of the counter. "I am not late right?"

"No Kai, they just arrived early. You take their orders?I need to go in the back..."

Said girl waved her boss away and took an yellow sketch-pad and a pen from under the table.

"Hi I'm Kairi, what are you having?" she asked smiling.

"Oh, I want the extra large pan..." Looking up from the menu, Sora finally met the waitress eyes.

"Sor..."They stood like that for a moment, eyes growing wider by every second, before the pen slip from the girl's hand and she lunged at Sora."Oh my GOD!Sora!It's you!" Sora eagerly hugged back and Ventus looked at Cloud puzzled.

"They were friends before we moved away." wispered Cloud. Ventus murmured a low "_Oh..._" and turned his attention to the the wrestle before him. They separated soon and stared at each-other's faces. The hadn't change a bit. The girl, Kairi, had shoulder length, dark red hair and big blue eyes. While Sora still held the same spiky brown hair she remembered him from, now most of it sticking in the front while a short make-believe ponytail kept some bangs together in the back.

"It has been like...fourteen years!" tears begun to roll down the girls face, but the smile didn't relent. She grabbed some napkins to dry the tears and begun to laugh "_God_ I feel old."

_I was a baby back then, so I couldn't remember. But I was good with logic so soon I put 2 and 2 togather. We left Hollow Bastion when I was about 2 or 3 years old. Sora is now 23 so he had about 9 when we left. Since Sora was born in Hollow Bastion he should have known the girl all his life. Funny, I never herd of her..._

"So, you work here now?" Sora asked completely forgetting about the food. For once...

"Yeah. It has been so hard to find work around here lately, for obvious reasons..." she gave a quick involuntary look at the folded newspaper forgotten in the edge of the counter before turning back at her old friend "Oh yeah, your orders!" picking the pen she assumed a more professional pose and asked what they would have. A few minutes later she came back with tree places. Pancakes for Sora, bacon and eggs for Ventus and a cup of black coffe, no sugar, for Cloud.

"Not that I'm not glad, but what are you guys doing back here? I thought you had gone for good."

"Changing a bit the scenery, you know? Transverse Town was a graveyard. We are working for Tifa now." Sora swallowed the last piece of his breakfast and set the plate aside, now fully focused on the catch up with his old best-friend.

"What? How come I didn't know about that?"

"...because I wanted it to be a surprise, of course."

Tifa had finished whatever she had been doing in the back of the bar and joined Kairi behind the counter. She took the plates to the sink before leaning on the counter and join the conversation. Kairi made some more coffee and poured everyone a cup. They talked for about a hour of what they had been doing all this ears. After looking at the watch in the wall, Tifa took all the cups from the counter, even the unfinished ones, and dropped them on the sink...

"Ok boys, and Kairi, we are officially on business hour so get your asses out of ugly faces will scare the customers."

"H-hey! I was drinking that!" Cloud said glaring daggers at her .

"Oh well, that's too bad."

Cloud '_hump_'ed and picked a toothpick before rising from his seat. Tifa had given directions to the bedrooms in the second floor. They would occupy three of the four rooms, Tifa slept in the fourth, and share a bathroom. They already were used to the situation, thankfully, after years of living in a small house. After a quick bath, Cloud went straight to bed, having to drive all the way there had worn him out. Sora and Ventus chose to go back to the bar and watch some Tv. Logically, the news channel was different from Transverse Town's with much better quality and more attractive hosts. Kairi was halfway through delivering an order but stopped to check the boys. She rose a eyebrow to what they were watching.

"You guys still watch the news?"

"No, just comparing it to hour old one back in TT." Ventus took the remote and changed the chanel. It was either some old rag pretending to cook a meal or children's cartoons. Sora voted for cartoons... "Believe it or not, Holow Bastion's is slightly better than Transverse Town's."

"I feel very sorry for you guys." a chill ran through Kairi's spine with the thought. Was that even possible? "Hard to believe there's people who swallow that crap..."

"_Yo, sister!Where's mah pie?"_

"Sorry!On it's way sir!" Kairi pretended a smile and set the plate in the man's table. "You guys checked on the bill board yet?"

"The what now?" Sora looked away from a yellow cheese and his pink friend dancing on the screen to look at the girl. She pointed at a large, greenish screen with many popup-like windows haphazardly distributed in it's surface. Ventus approached the device and slid his fingers over it, reading many odd jobs needing to be done. They went from simple mail delivery to scouting some girl to a late night club. This sure was far from what they had back in TT but payed a lot more than what they were used to...

"I can pick anyone I like?" Ventus studied many requests and noticed small colored letters beside every announce. D, C+, B's... the reward also variated according to the letters.

"No, just the C+ and below. High hanked jobs are restricted to more..._experienced_ delivers."

"Hey! I've been doing this for 5 years! I have experience enough!"

"Don't take it out on me Sora. Anything Job related is up to Barret."

"Who's the guy?"

"He is the one who prevents Tifa from going insane with power."

"_I heard that!"_

"Anyway, he is the back room over there..." She pointed at a dim-lighted small corridor, leading to a room they hadn't seen so far. " ...good luck." and went get a some guy's order with an indecipherable expression.

"...Thanks?"

Brushing Kairi sudden morbidness aside, they crossed the dark corridor which led to a metallic slid-open door. From behind it, an angry voice shouted to the wall, or some unfortunate soul probably siting in the corner of the room trying to get away from whoever was shouting at them. Now Ventus knew the reason of Kairi's wishes... The name "Barret Wallace" glowed in a small screen over the door and Ventus didn't know if he should knock or just go in. He didn't have to choose because Sora approached and hit the door without thinking twice. _Nice Sora..._

_

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**A/N: So? What do you guys think? Next chapter the boys will have their first mission and Ventus will meet someone special. Who might that be?**


	6. Chapter 1  Part 3

**Chapter 1**

**It's Getting Boring...**

**-Part 3-**

**Blisters**

_Sora, if we ever made it out of this office alive, I'm killing you. Fuck it's gonna open..._

Ventus stood petrified before of what seem the door of the gas chamber beside his ever-ignorant brother who smiled carelessly. And had the arms behind his door slid open revealing a massive, dark-skinned man with the looks of few friends. Ventus couldn't speack. His tongue had retracted to the back of his mouth as trying to scape from the man. He wished he could do the same...

"Call ya latter." the man closed the mobile phone he had in hands and threw it in the general direction of the small sofa in the corner of the room. "What you pipsqueaks want? I'm busy. Who are ya anyways?"

"We are the new employees, Sir..." Sora leaned to one side to check the name on the door "Wallace. I'm Sora and this is my bro' Ventus. Ven for short." He pointed at his sweat-dripping brother who cracked a small smile and said his prayers in his mind.

"Oh, Tifa's little monkeys." The man turned his back and set in his reclinable-chair and looked at them expectant. "Whachu' waiting for?Get in!"

_'Said the spider to the fly...' _Ventus swallowed had and stepped in the climatized room. It was a well decorated '_for a gangster_', with a small love-seat & coffee table set in one side and a paper covered wooden desk and chair in the other. Sora sat unceremoniously in the sofa with Ventus close behind. Ven hesitated before sitting too, expecting binds to lock him in place and blades to come out of the ceiling.

"You boys came right on time. I have this friend of mine who needs some stuff delivered , today, and I'm out of people at the moment. Yo blondie, you are doing it."

"Wai- what! W-why me?"

"Because I told you so, that's why! Now ask Kairi about Mr. Estheim package, she knows who I'm talking about. Time is money and I'm short on both." The man pulled a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket a lit it. "And you, smiles and sunshines, get me a beer!"

"But-t, I got here _today_!How am I supposed to make the deliver?"

"You still here? The redhead will help ya with that, don' worry, now be off!" The man literally kicked the duo out of the room and begun to yell at the phone once again. Ventus paid no mind to the harsh first impression, he was glad to be out of there.

"What just happened?" Sora stared at the door in disapproval. He wasn't being paid to be a servant!

"Let's just get out of here before he decides he want lunch too."

Stepping back into the warm, people filled bar felt strangely good after the delightful five minutes with Mr. Wallace. It was only 8 in the morning but there was already a nice amount of customers in the establishment. The number of waiters had grown too. Aside from Kairi, two brunettes waltzed from table to table take notes in one and leaving food-filled plates in the other. Kairi was cleaning a table when they approached the counter. Seeing Ventus hit his forehead against it's surface cought her attention and, after giving it a last scrub, she went in check on.

" I take it went badly."

".." Ventus spoke not raising his head. "Dude's a freaking Gorilla!"

"In fact I do. I work here remember?"

"BTW, he wants a beer." Sora reminded as Kairi crossed to the other side of the counter.

"Really? Well, _I _want a new Macbook but I don't think we are getting what we want, are we?." upon seeing Sora's puzzled face she continued. "Relax, he's just trying to bully himself a free drink. He_ knows_ Tifa would break his neck if he stole another one, so he's trying to make _you_ do it. What did he say?"

"Apparently, I have a job. Something about a Mr. Einstein's deliver that has to be done today."

"Oh, Hope's deliver! Estheim, by the way. Let's go." She took her apron off and called Ventus to a room with 'Staff Only' floating on the door.

"Where are we going? Don't you have to help in the front?"

"Just when I don't need to navigate someone. Beside, Pence isn't here today. He is the other navigator."

"Navi...gate?" Ventus entered a room with Sora on his tracks. Maps and computers could be seen covering most of the walls. One chair stood before the main screen, being now occupied by Kairi who looked for something in a nearby shelf. With a humn of approval, she retrieved from inside it a small black something. She blew the dust and hit it once to check if it was working before handing it to Ven. "Put it on."

"What's this?"

"An earpice, of course. How are you supposed to hear me from the field without one?" Ventus looked at it and then back to her. "Let's say Hollow Bastion is a big city. A big, BIG, city. You will need guidance to make the deliver fast and unscratched."

"What will scratch me?"

"Cops, electric-fences, gangs... You know, the usual."

"Oh yeah, _usual_." with a grim look on his face, Ventus set the device in place. He was already missing Transverse Town.

"Stop whining. The 7th Heaven prides of it's efficiency. You are getting it on time and in perfect state. Besides Hope is an Usual, you don't want to let him down."

"Since when _Hope_ is a boys name?" Asked Sora in the background.

"Since when _Sora_ is a boys name?" Shot back Kairi.

"..._touché._"

"Back to the delivery. How are you doing it?Foot, car..."

"Glider."

"Of course..." Kairi turned her attention back to the monitors leaving a confused Ventus staring at the chair's back.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's just...you know, you don't look like a runner. Thin arms, no scars or blisters and stuff." _Great, now she's making me self-conscious. This place is an emotional slaughter-house_..."Kay, go grab it. You are leaving ASAP. The package and E.A.T are over there..." She pointed at a fairly sized box and a electronic pad in the corner of the room.

"E.D.T?"

"Electronic Authentication Terminal. He will sigh it after receiving."

Nodding, Ventus hurried and climbed the stairs to retrieve his board. Passing near Cloud's room, he could hear his brother's loud snores echoing through the wood door. Carefully, he got on the point of his toes not to wake his brother up and went on his way. Cloud deserved some sleep. As soon as he stepped outside the building Kairi's voice tore through the small device.

"_Ven can you hear me?_"

"Loud and clear. _Really_ loud."

"_Sorry for that. Moving on, where are you?_"

"I just got outside the 7th Heaven."

"_Good, the tracker is working just fine then. Now go to the alleyway to your left and follow straight. We always avoid main-streets when making a delivery, for obvious reasons._"

"Let me guess, police?" Ventus adjusted a set of green goggles on his face and threw the glider on the floor. Before it hit the ground, two disks in it's lower side begun to spin and stabilize the board in the air. Ventus stepped on it to test the G-discs and followed Kairi's instructions.

"_Correct. Since the fiscalization got worst, delivery service exploded. And so did the patrols... Now they are everywhere! They stop and check peoples packages and verifications. Don't worry though, they are no match for me._"

"Getting cocky aren't we?"

"_Just being honest. Turn left again._"

"So, this Hope person...What is it that makes him a _Usual_?"

"_Oh, Hope works with machinery. You are carrying some parts to him. He lives in Radiant Garden, the richer and higher part of the town, But they don't sell the parts there. He has to order then from down here or even from outside town, sometimes._"

"I see. Am I taking them all the way to this Garden?"

"_Nope, Hope will be waiting for you in a store near Wutai. Wutai is kind off Hollow Bastion's China Town. You will know when you get there._"

"It's kinda of hard to miss an Asian village in the middle of a city...How does this guy looks like?"

"_As soon as you get out of that alley you should be able to see a tunnel entrance somewhere to your right. Get in, it will lead you straight to Wutai." _In the other side, Kairi flipped through some papers until she found the right one._"Answering your question, he has short silver hair and always wear a green bandana on his neck._" Comparing the map in her hands and the one on the screen, Kairi made sure Ventus was on the right way. "I'm calling him to let him know you are close."

"Got it."

Ventus had been gliding for a few minutes when he finally got to the tunnel's entrance. The walls outside where decorated with graffiti and many posters holding what looked like logos, or emblems. Even inside the graffiti persisted. Oddly, as deeper as he got into the tunnel and the light grew dimmer, the paint-job begun to glow in the dark, showing the way. But it didn't last long, soon the light from the other side substituted the colorful letters and drawings and he was back under the sun.

"I'm here."

"_Okay, follow straight a few blocks. Hope will be waiting in a bridge near the Nelo Angelo._"

"The what?"

"_Nelo Angelo. It's a pretty famous boutique of Lolita clothing. I'm surprised you never heard of..._"

"I'm not much into fashion."

"_It's hard to miss. The building is completely black with spier-web patterns._"

"I see it."

It was indeed hard to miss. The name "Nelo Angelo" was written in a Gothic font over the small door. From there Ventus could see many dark-colored dresses in mannequins though the windows. He wasn't into fashion, like he said before, but had to admit they did looked pretty. Near one of the windows a short figure stood, staring at the clothing pieces with a hint of fascination. Looking closer, they hit Kairi's description just right and so he climbed off the glider and approached.

"Excuse me?" The person suddenly turned their head, embarrassed, to face the stranger.

"O-oh hi! I...wasn't staring or anything like that..." They gave a small awkward smile and avoided eye contact.

"If you say so..." Ventus lowered the goggles and slid a finger over the pad he got with Kairi. "Would you plea..."

"Rox?" The boy rose a eyebrow to Ventus.

"Rock?"

"No! Are you...Would you mind telling me your name?"

"I'm Ventus. Is there a problem?" The kid was getting weirder as the time passed...

"No!no no no...No. I'm sorry, I got you confused with someone else..." he gave a nervous laugh and took the package. While signing on the pad's screen he noticed Ventus' glider. "Is that a Wayward Wind?"

"This old thing? Yeah, I bought it from some dude a few years ago. It's pretty worn out but gets the job done..." The board could be obsolete and all, but he cherished it. It was the first thing he bought with his own money and he still remembered the day he got it.

"Here..." Hope pulled out his Personal Terminal and pressed some keys. Seconds after, Ventus own P.T buzzed with a message.

"What's this?" he had received a proximity text from an unknown number.

"My email. Send me a text if you wanna tune up that thing, I'm giving you a special discount. Now, I gotta go, thanks for the package."

"Thanks?" Ventus looked at the address and back to Hope. "I was starting to fear it would fall apart in mid-air."

"Just do me a favor, don't give my email to anyone 'k? Some people would kill for it...Anyway, see ya."

Ventus gave a small wave and watched the boy go. He was bought back to reality by a low snicker in the background. "_Making friends, aren't we?_"

"You were listening everything!"

"_Maybe~._"

"You are awful."

"_I try. Getting back now?_"

"I guess..." looking at his P.E he check the time. It would get dark soon.

"_You are lucky you know._"

"Why?"

"_Hope there is famous around Hollow Bastion's underground. Few get to reach him like you are now._"

"Really?That kid?"

"_He's you age Ventus. It's the way he messes with tech that got him known. People know him as Alexander._ "

"Why is Hollow Bastion such a creepy town?"

"_Beats me_."

"Sadly, I don't. I'm going back now."

"_Flattered. Go to left..._"

_Hope. I met him in my first mission..To tell you the truth, it almost blew my mind when I found out about him. And yet, here I am...It seems Hollow Bastion hides a surprise and a scare in every corner, and I'm bumping in every single one._

_

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**A/N: Longest chapter so far!(because of the lines, meh) Still looking for a beta!Please?Anyone?**

**A/N2:BTW, the song is "It's Getting Boring by the Sea" by Blood Red !  
**


	7. Chapter 1  Part 4

**Warning:I will ony be posting the next chapter with at least 5 reviews. I know not many people are reading this but I need . xoxo(gossip girl, lol)**

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**Chapter 1**

**It's Getting Boring...**

**-Part 4-**

**Such a Harsh Town**

_The weeks passed too fast to be noticed. Ventus went out at 8 in the morning and was back by noon for lunch, leaving one or two hours later for another job. The same was for Sora and Cloud, their schedules didn't always match but they always say each other during meals and at night, after their shift. With time, they begun to fit in the 7th Heaven's everyday routine. The rooms were nice and their fellow co-workers were even better. Aside from Kairi, two other girls worked at the bar/restaurant. A short, pretty girl named Selphie, who too had known Sora when they were young, and Olette, who behave quite oddly when introduced to them. Ventus never noticed but, whenever he turned his back, the girl would stare at him... Also, there was Pence and Hayner. Pence was the navigator Kairi had spoken of a few weeks ago, while Hayner was, like Sora, a Runner. He was the only deliverer the 7th Heaven had before the Destiny's arrival. Tifa said the other deliverers had received better offers from other companies._

_In the beginning, Ventus was reluctant about the whole moving deal, but now that they were here, it was kinda nice. They received a cut from all the jobs they did plus a bonus at the end of the month. The sudden flow of cash reminded him of his beaten glider which, in succession reminded him of Hope. He _did_ promise him a discount and his poor glider deserved a upgrade...Scratch that, it deserved a upgrade two ears ago, now it was about to go on strike. It was so old Ventus had a hard time finding the parts for maintenance and repair. He would pay a visit to the mysterious kid soon, that if his board didn't broke halfway though a mission..._

"Back so soon Ven?"

Ventus was currently staring at his P.T. deciding if he should text Hope or not. Tifa's voice snapped him of his intern dilemma as he erased, for the fifth time, the message he would send. Tifa looked expectant at him with a hag hanging on her shoulder. She was wearing a white tank top under a customized apron with the 7th Heaven logo. _What did she asked?oh yeah!_ "Yep, it was a quick job, deliver some flowers at a party. Apparently the Sanctum only allows so much deliveries per day to the Flower shop. It's almost like they are asking people to look for us..."

"Flowers, hum?" Tifa said slowly. Her usual smiled suddenly becoming forced as her eyebrows gave away her real feelings.

"Something wrong?" asked Ventus confused.

"What?No...not really. Gonna catch another job today?" She tried to change the subject.

"I wanted to talk about that...Can I have the rest of the day off? I was thinking about taking my glider to a checkup. The G-disks have been failing a lot lately and I also have to change the batteries and buy a new..."

Ventus stopped talking after realizing Tifa wasn't really listening to what he was saying. She looked at her feet and rose her hand to the left side of her body, placing her palm over a red ribbon tied to her arm. A few second latter she noticed Ventus' silence and looked up. "O-oh!Sure, sure. You can go. Just be safe OK?" She kissed his forehead and left. Ventus wondered what just had happened but brushed it off. He follwed to the counter, resuming his text compising.

"Can I have a coke Kairi?" He asked, not looking at the girl.

"That depends, can you pay for it?" the other said bored. Her shift was almost over but the clock seemed to enjoy torturing her.

"What do you think I do with the money I get here?"

"Drugs?"

"Ha-ha, just get it Ok?"

The girl turned to the fridge and fetched a can from the back, they were usually the colder ones."Who are you texting?"

"Hope."

"Made friends with the guy?" That successfully caught Kairi's attention, maybe because that was the single most interesting thing that happened since she put on her apron. Maybe.

"I think so...Don't know yet, I'm just going to fix my gliderl. He seemed like a nice guy, though."

"The guy makes _weapons_ Ven. Well, that I know at least. Who knows what else he makes after prime time..."

"Now you are just being mean." Ventus finished typing the message and reluctantly pressed the '_send_' button. He hoped he didn't sound too friendly...or too _unfriendly_.

"_Hey, is that discount still up?"_

-Ventus

"Suit yourself. Just remember, once you get into Hollow Bastion's dark side there's only two ways to get out. In a plastic bag or with plastic surgery..."

Ventus was about to ask what she meant by that when his P.T. Buzzed in his hand, causing him to almost drop it. A text with the name Alexander popped in his screen. Kairi was gone, someone was trying to make an order but Selphie end Olette were too busy . Ignoring Kairi's half-assed/threatening advice, he opened the message.

"_Totally. I work at the __'Ophiuchus, Inc.' in the low-town. The P.T.'s GPS will show you the way. Make sure you are not followed."_

-Hope

For a reason Ventus was having second thoughts about meeting with the boy. Kairi's words-of-wisdom might have had something to with that. Maybe making friends with someone involved with the town's less spoken side wasn't the best idea, but he felt kind of hypocrite thinking that.. 'Hey, it's not like what he did was exactly legal right?'. Besides, Hope didn't seem to be a bad person. Ventus was in the first step of the stairs when he noticed something strange in the bar. Olette was speaking with Kairi nervously and in a low tone.

"_...I already asked them to leave but they just won't listen!_" it looked like she was about to cry.

"Ok Lette, I will ask Sephie to talk to them. Go to the back and take a breath this is going on for a few minutes " Kairi tapped the girl's back with a smile and waited until she was out of sight before calling for the other waitress. "Selphie? Cold you please ask those men to leave the establishment, ?" said Kairi with a sickly sweet smile.

Selphie in other hand, rose an eyebrow and looked at the direction her co-worker pointed. She let out an "Oh..." and fixed her apron before going to a table where four men sat. Just from looking Ventus already knew, they were hooligans.

"Excuse-me gentleman, I belive you were asked to leave." Selphie asked ever-so-calmly to, from the body type and number of piercing in his face, she concluded was the leader of the group.

"Where's the other cutie that we were talking to before? Forget it, you will do..." Ventus could feel the strong smell of tobacco and cheap booze from across the hall. He couldn't believe how Selphie managed to keep a straight face, no, _smile,_ two feet away from the stinky man.

"Hey Tom, look at this one's booty!" a younger one in the other side of the table reached for Selphie's ass, but only had so much time to enjoy the feeling before feeling a sudden taste of rubber and copper in his mouth.

It happened too fast to Ventus follow. As soon as the man's palm touched Selphie, she kicked him straight in the mouth not even braking the eye contact with the leader, probably taking some teeth.

"What the fuck! You little bi..." Without even stepping back on the floor, Selphie used the table for support and spun, hitting the man while he tried to stand from the seat. The man fell on the floor and a third, now having way to get out of the booth, flipped out a knife from his jacket. He tried to stab the waitress but only hit air as she side-stepped. The armed man almost tripped in his friend's body and Selphie took the opportunity to withdrawn something in the back of her apron. Her hand came back with a pair of black nunchaku. Written in black over the with surface the words "The" and " End" marked each piece of wood(or iron, Ventus couldn't say from there). A few seconds latter, the whole gang of hooligans was leaving the 7th Heaven bloodied, broken and being hit by a a 17 year old girl swinging an oriental weapon spinning at 300 rpm. Once they were all out of the bar, Selphie stopped the nunchaku under her armpit in a Bruce Lee-like pose.

"And please, _do_ come back. I will love pounding you asses until you look like a bow of chili-con-carne!" Shout her, closing the door forcefully. Through the glass Ventus could see three men running down the street and one carrying other on the shoulders. Sighing, Selphie turned back to the restaurant where she was greeted by a wave of clapping and whistles.

"Thank you,everybody! I'm here all week! Remember to tip the waitress!'...which is me.' Thanks again, love you guys!" She bowed once to each side of the bar and walked back to the counter, trowing herself in a chair. "If Tifa doesn't give me a raise after this, I quit!Look at my babies!It will take ages to get their blood out of them."

"Well,do that in the back, there's people eating here. While you are there, tell Olette she can get out now." Advised Kairi in the other side of the counter, while typing on as keyboard.

"What are you doing?" Selphie tried to peek on whatever was on the scree.

"Reporting those guys to the COMMANDO. Didn't you see the red badges on their clothes?"

"You really think they were form COMMANDO?"

"Not sure, they seemed too week to belong to them, than again people from COMMANDO tend to be cocky little bastards..." Kairi composed a small text and annexed a copy of the video from the security cameras. "...either way, they will get what they deserve."

"I think I already gave what they deserved." Selphie said laughing.

Ventus had come down from his room just in time to see that piece of conversation.

"What's the COMMANDO?" He asked while putting on the protective gear.

"For all effects, just a gang." Answered Selphie. "But then again, most of things in Hollow Bastion aren't what they look like...Going somewhere?"

"Yes, going fix this old thing." Ventus showed his glider.

"Ok, but be back soon. Streets are dangerous at night. Don't be fooled by the pretty lights,Hollow Bastion is a harsh town." with that last waring he left.

Ventus took seriously Selphie's warning, but couldn't help feeling a small thrill of gliding through the city. Being _part_ of it.

Every so often, Ventus checked his P.T. for locations. This place, '_Ophiuchus, Inc.' _was supposed to be located in the underground part of town, the Lowtown, where many...unusual stores gathered in an out-of-sight area. He now traveled by foot, to avoid bumping into the wrongpeople and alert to any pursuers. The small arrow in his P.T. pointed to a flock of stairs going even lower under the ground. It wasn't exactly dark, but the lack of people made him slightly anxious. He walked though a hall with paintings very similar to the ones near the tunnel in Wutai and soon enough , Ventus found himself before the shop.

The neon sigh '_Ophiuchus, Inc' _smiled to him in the dark tunnel. It wasn't the only store in that level but seemed to be one of the few open .Maybe it was too late..._or too early?_ Eithe way, Ventus meant to knock in the glass door, but it slid open as soon as he came close. Inside the store looked like a long corridor, illuminated by a white light that bounced back over the metallic floor and through the glass decorations. The statue of a winged snake positioned around an egg(which was probably the store's mascot) stood in the middle of the room. The crystal statue wasn't the only chew-stooping asset of the store. A huge variety of armaments hung in the walls. From fire weapons to sportswear and props, glider parts included, and strange vials with odd colored substances in them. A teardrop made it's way in the corner of his eye as Ventus watched the shiny metal decks, the anti-impact armors...It was like _heaven_!

"Need a napkin?"

An unfamiliar feminine voice came from behind him. Turning, Ventus saw the voice was owed by a blond, tanned girl wearing a green miniskirt over a yellow bikini and strange, ribbon-like sleeves along with a scarf. She smiled as soon as he turned. She hushed in braking Ventus personal bubble, getting dangerously close to his face.

"_God, you could be twins!_"

"Personal space Rikku!" Hope came from the back of the store carrying a few pilled-up boxes and dropped them somewhere behind the counter. "I told you not to freak out."

"I'm not _freaking out_!"

"Sorry about her." Hope turned to Ventus as he spoke. Rikku took the opportunity to stick out her tongue in his direction. "We have a friend that looks a lot like you."

"Emphasis on the _lot_." Rikku added. "You look just like him without the hair products, make-up and attitude..."

"Thanks?

"How about we see that glider?" Hope invited, getting back to the main subject.

Once Ventus positioned the board over the table, Hope's smile slowly contorted into a pooly hidden face. He took a moment to think about what he would say but only cold manage a sentence. "Ventus...this thing is trash."

"Oh, come-_on_!" Ventus tried to defend his glider. "It's not trash, just..._trashy!_"

"Dude I don't work with that stuff, but even _I_ know that thing is crap." Rikku commented from the other side of the room ,opening the boxes Hope had brought.

"She's right. I'm surprised you actually made it here, let alone making deliveries." Turning some screws and disengaging some parts, all the component of the board were sorted above the glass surface. "The battery is old and leaking, the G-discs as far from condition, let alone _good_ condition, the shock-proofing is asking for help and deck is cracked..._and_ being held together by duct tape." Hope turned his gaze to Ventus with a tired expression. "You are lucky there isn't a law against machinery abuse."

"So, what can we do for her?" Ventus tried changing the subject.

"Be merciful and give it a quick death." offered Hope. "There's very little we can use, and even if we did, the final product would have much poorer performance if compared to a new one. Good new is, you can still keep it as a pet."

Ventus looked from his old board to the expert like a kid in who had just been told his dog needed to be put to sleep.

"_Fine_. Lets see what you guys got..." he let himself be dragged to the Glider section of the store.

"You're gonna love them!" Hope enthusiastically pulled a board out of the shelve and set it carefully for Ventus to see. "We got this one last month. It's a 'BBS Lost Memory'."

Ventus completely forgot about his board's situation upon gazing into the shiny new glider before him. The body was made of an smooth, ivory material, decorated with blacks and reds. The metallic guards around the edges had wing-like ends and looked much more resistant than the plastic ones in his old board. For decorations, a incomplete, gem-like heart was neatly encrusted in it's frontal edge, while in the back, a silver Fleur-de-lis pointed to the opposite direction. The whole thing looked like a _Da Vinci's _masterpiece_._

"It's a new model. It uses a scheme of four G-discs to maintain stability..." Hope flip the board, exposing the underside. There were two discs in the edges of the glider, like other models, but two smaller ones were located in the middle. "... and also gives a speed boost. The battery is made to last at least twice as long as your old one."

"I can't use the same recharger I have on them right?"

"I don't think this batteries are chargeable in windmill-produced electricity..." Hope tried not to laugh but failed, he begun to laugh at the face Ventus had made. He finally stopped once the other boy punched his arm. "Sorry."

"Phft, whatever. How much it is gonna cost?"

"14.000 Munnys,but l since I'm giving the special discount, I could also add a few extra parts for free..."

"What? No! Hope, I'm already getting too much from you!"

"Don't mind him blondie, he just want an excuse to play with his tools." Said Rikku from one of the numerous waiting chairs in the store.

"Do NOT! Anyways, the whole package will cost 15.000, extra parts and assembly included."

"Ok, let's see..." in his P.T., Ventus checked his account. He had made 32.000 so far and barely spent anything since he got in there, and since it was an investment... "'kay I will take it."

"Cool, wait here wile I do my thing." Hope picked up the board and entered deeply in the store. "Also, leave him alone Rikku!"

"Oh, fuck you Esthein!"

"You are talking just like your Dad!"

"I am NOT!" she protested but Hope already have closed the door. "...little bastard."

Ventus felt awkward being alone with the stranger. But, as expected, Rikku decided to ignore her coworker's pleas begun a conversation.

"So...you have known Hope for long?"

"No." he said a bit to quickly and, as the girl looked at him expectant, he added "met him in a mission for the 7th Heaven."

"Oh yeah! I heard about the place"

"How about you?"

"Hope? Oh I know heim for a long time, years...My Dads are friends with His father."

"..._Dads_?" '_as if in plural_?' he thought.

"Yep. A pair of homos. Sometimes I even forget they are a couple until the walls begin to shake at 's horrible." she said flatly. Seeing the confuse/shocked look on Ventus' face she smiled and continued "If it helps you sleep at night, I didn't come from their penises."

Ventus was successfully thrown into _shit-bricks_ state. It wasn't what she said(ok, abit) but how she said it. Luckily Hope came with Ventus new board.

"I'm done how about we...You told him about your parent's didn't you?" said him glaring at Rikku. She only winked at him. "Oh, forget it. Let's go Ven. I explain the customization detains on the way."

"Where are we going?" Ventus didn't fight Hope as he pushed him out of the store waving Rikky goodbye.

"We are out for a test drive..."

* * *

**A/N: Still waiting Reviews/Betas...come on people I'm dying over here. This can't be perfec!**

**A/N#2:Just to get some things clear: Like Subarashiki Kono Sekai/I'ts a Wonderful World/The World ends With You, all the main stores are related to the Zodiac and, if you pay attention, they all have a Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts reference. List with all the stores, references and Zodiac relations on the next chap. **


End file.
